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Olympic Hot Springs Road Closed
The Elwha Valley's Olympic Hot Springs Road is closed to public entry beyond the Altair Campground during removal of the Glines Canyon Dam. Olympic Hot Springs is not accessible from the Elwha.
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Elwha River Closures
Boating is prohibited on the Elwha River between Upper Lake Mills Trail and Altair Campground.
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Changes to Visitor Services Due to Sequestration
Due to mandatory, across the board budget cuts, some visitor services at Olympic National Park have changed. See the Plan Your Visit section for more information.
English Ivy
The leaves on this tree-climbing NPS Exotic Plant Hedera helix Although some people enjoy the look of buildings covered with English ivy, this plant can actually harm structures by loosening bricks and native ecosystems by smothering trees. This evergreen climbing vine engulfs whatever is in its path, including shrubs, buildings, or old-growth forest. Identification: English ivy is an evergreen, creeping or climbing vine with aerial roots. It attaches to tree bark, walls, or other surfaces with its sticky roots. Old vines can grow as large as one foot in diameter, but most vines are usually much thinner. Leaves are leathery to waxy and dark green with pale or white markings. Usually the alternate leaves are three to five lobed, but leaves on mature sun-exposed stems can be un-lobed and rounded. Small autumn flowers become small black berries. It can take ten years to flower. The leaves and berries of English ivy are toxic to humans if ingested, but are eaten and spread by birds. 
This low-growing English ivy has NPS Exotic Plant Management Team How is it spreading and where? English ivy is a cultivated European vine, originally from Eurasia and North Africa. It seeds are easily spread by birds. Its aerial roots climb onto native trees (or onto buildings) and can climb up to 35 feet or more. It can engulf anything it can climb over and smothers small plants or whole trees. Its most troublesome aspect is that it can grow in undisturbed ground and is shade tolerant. This means it can grow and thrive in even old-growth forest. It is found in various places in Olympic National Park, mostly coastal areas. 
Mature English ivy can produce berries NPS Exotic Plant Management Team Control in Olympic: The easiest treatment of English ivy is hand-pulling. To help revive smothered trees, the strangling ivy vines are simply cut near the ground. While hand-pulling, the vine is followed back to its primary root and carefully removed completely. Herbicides are also used. For more information, see Weed Resources. Back to Invasive Plants |
Did You Know?
Did you know that in 1988, Congress designated 95% of Olympic National Park as Wilderness. The Olympic Wilderness is a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. More...